Great Lakes

[Homer Jay]

Well said. I have always thought that the day I left Lakes was the day I began my gradual decline in pure pilot skills. To borrow a line from the Chairman, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.

That being said, if Q asks you to go boating, beware.

That is so true! I have been gone from Lakes for some time now and I can honestly say I am no longer the pilot I once was. Technology makes you lazy! But again, once a Laker, always a Laker!

 

[Uncle Bunkle]

I used to do them with a fixed card ADF

I didn't know the Wright Bros. Flyer had instruments...

 

[Trogdor]

I have heard they shy away from high time guys...any truth to that?

100% true.

 

[Trogdor]

What's the chance of going there after training? I hear it's a TDY operation. Do you have to report to DEN/STL first and then go to MKE, or do you report directly to MKE? Just curious...

Chance of getting MKE: zero.

It is TDY out of STL and there is a list of people waiting to bid there already.

 

[DrunkIrishman]

If you are applying for a job flying a B-1900 doing EAS you should probably assume the flying might be a bit challenging as compared to flying into larger airports with ILS's and good airport services. Lakes does not have the ability to put guys and gals online that lack BAI skills and hence it is built into their training syllabus. Not everyone that goes there has profficient BAI skills and eventually they encounter trouble. However, I have never seen a 70% washout rate and I would suspect it is more of a rumour.

 

[BEfly]

I didn't know the Wright Bros. Flyer had instruments...

Suprisingly it was the most reliable instruments in that old lance I flew.

I couldn't do that now. I just load it up in the Pro Line and watch it happen! As a matter of fact, I can't even remember the last time I shot a NDB approach...

 

[staylow]

No weak pilots allowed!

I had a hell of a lot more fun at Great Lakes than I did flying for that Northern Craptucky Airline known as Comair.

I agree! I spent enough time at GLA to upgrade and get my turbine pic...it was a billion time better and funner. It's no place for weak pilots who can't hand fly in the mountains, in thunderstorms, high winds, windshear, snow storms, blizzards, icing conditions (where you blow the boots...no ice detection system), no flight director, no moving map, full procedure turns, into an uncontrolled airports at night and your FO has 240 hours TT and just finished IOE two nights ago. If your instrument scan is weak and you don't know how to enter a hold...you will wash out...that is just the facts. Lakers for life. Once a Laker always a Laker.

 

[earl]

As a non-laker, nor a regional pilot, I have a ton of respect for Lakers. Probably the purest form of regional flying there is.

If you're a good pilot then go there, if not then go home.

earl

 

[CX880]

If you're a good pilot then go there, if not then go home.

l

What?? This NDB partial panel, mountain flying, single engine approaches in icing macho attitude is getting a little old. It's not a matter of being a good pilot, it's a matter of wanting to do that type of flying. Lots of guys could do it they just prefer moving maps and GPS's and a decent quality of life. That doesn't make them bad pilots. Anybody can become a great lakes pilot apparently since not long ago they hired wet commercials.

 

[Vavso]

The little i know

If you fail out in training no one knows you are not an employee until after the check ride . I heard in May 4 out of 5 bombed out then last i heard this fall 14 out of 15 made it .You practice on Pcatd's in indoc to see where your weakness is prior to getting near the sim . If you cannot fly an NDB approach with an RMI and are an instructor there is a problem . Would I leave a regional I was furloughed from and sign a 15 month $7500 promissary note ?? That is a decision you have to make . Good luck with your decision .

 

[DrunkIrishman]

This NDB partial panel, mountain flying, single engine approaches in icing...

CX880-

It has little to do with being macho and everything to do with instrument proficiency. The Beech doesn't have all the new moving map GPS equipment you speak of. You have to get by using an HSI and an RMI. If you are unable to do that, then you cannot perform the job. Sorry if you think your ego is being challenged, but GLA must have its pilots capable of flying in the conditions you mentioned because those are the conditions that actually do exist on a daily basis save the single engine.

 

[PBRstreetgang]

I used to do them with a fixed card ADF

I used to do them with am AM transistor radio and a F/O with a keen sense of smell!
BAAHAAA
PBR
P.S. 121 ops in a primitive platform will separate the limp from the hardcore!
J-32 style!

 

[CX880]

CX880-

It has little to do with being macho and everything to do with instrument proficiency. The Beech doesn't have all the new moving map GPS equipment you speak of. You have to get by using an HSI and an RMI. If you are unable to do that, then you cannot perform the job. Sorry if you think your ego is being challenged, but GLA must have its pilots capable of flying in the conditions you mentioned because those are the conditions that actually do exist on a daily basis save the single engine.

Dude you are like the 20th guy on this thread to mention how hard it is to fly for great lakes and you have to be the best pilot ever. I am just saying that anyone can do it if they want to because of what the previous poster said.

 

[staylow]

Lots of guys could do it they just prefer moving maps and GPS's and a decent quality of life. That doesn't make them bad pilots. Anybody can become a great lakes pilot apparently since not long ago they hired wet commercials.

No offense to you CX880...I agree...lots of guys could do it...and lots of guys do. Has nothing to do with being a bad pilot. Has everything to do with being a weak pilot...in a very challenging and unforgiving environment. As for QOL, it isn't much better at a Comair, Air Wis, Republic, ect. than at GLA. I know. Been there.

 

[DrunkIrishman]

CX880-

Staylow is spot on. That was what I was getting at and why I mentioned it not being about machoism. Instrument proficiency is not the same as being an awesome pilot.

 

[808pilot]

some of the best flying i ever did....and some of the best people.....life long friends....i've been through a couple of interviews since lakes and the people i spoke with all knew about lakes and the type of flying we did....i haven't been turned down from a job yet...(yes i realize what i have said...furlough and a company shutdown...good times)....
just make sure you have a suger mama/ papa to afford it....

 

[rumrunner300]

I used to do them with am AM transistor radio and a F/O with a keen sense of smell!
BAAHAAA
PBR
P.S. 121 ops in a primitive platform will separate the limp from the hardcore!
J-32 style!

Not far from the truth on some of those damn NDB's.

I used the prison lights on the HeMan NDB approach into CIU, ahhh good times.

 

[Guitar Guy]

some of the best flying i ever did....and some of the best people.....life long friends....i've been through a couple of interviews since lakes and the people i spoke with all knew about lakes and the type of flying we did....i haven't been turned down from a job yet...(yes i realize what i have said...furlough and a company shutdown...good times)....
just make sure you have a suger mama/ papa to afford it....

Really well said, 808. The experience at Lakes has paid off for me, too. While it would have been nice to have made more money while flying there, I'm glad to have had the experience and made the friends that I did. The flying at Lakes made training at my current job so much easier. And whenever I meet ex-Lakers, there's always an instant connection because of slogging the 1900D around the Rockies or flying out of MSP or ORD (or some of those oh-so-wonderful outstations like OTM, SPW. etc.)

As for the sugar mama/papa comment, it's really true. My wife is glad that I'm finally the breadwinner again.

Good luck to anyone looking at Lakes. Just be sure to go in with your eyes open. The pay isn't great, the training is tough and the schedulers will make sure that you learn the term "junior manned". But you'll gain a lot of great experience and make a lot of lifelong friends.

 

[Cardinal]

Dude you are like the 20th guy on this thread to mention how hard it is to fly for great lakes and you have to be the best pilot ever. I am just saying that anyone can do it if they want to because of what the previous poster said.

Even I get sick of the chest-thumping sometimes. Yes it's a difficult environment, yes, mere mortals can fly here. On the other hand, we've had furloughed RJ drivers wash recently, so there is some separating going on. On the other other hand, I've flown with CAs and FOs at Lakes who couldn't navigate their way out of a paper bag and shouldn't be trusted on the nations highways.

Modesty = Respect

 

[CX880]

I've flown with CAs and FOs at Lakes who couldn't navigate their way out of a paper bag and shouldn't be trusted on the nations highways.

Modesty = Respect

LOL, when you're out over Montana at night in icing, "I'm lost" is the last thing you want to hear in a /A aircraft.